Making Friends and Feeding a Giraffe at the Beginning of My Semester in Sydney, Australia
The purpose of these photographs presented in this photoset is to highlight what CEA CAPA was able to provide for me in such quick fashion after arriving in Sydney. Studying abroad was a very scary endeavor I wanted to tackle because I’ve been living in the same comfortable state of Massachusetts my entire life. I felt that going somewhere as far as Australia would allow me a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
A gorgeous sunset over the skyline of Sydney! I can’t believe after a 24-hour travel day, I’m finally in the land down under.
Hey, there’s me! My friend Luke, who I had met through orientation, was kind enough to use my phone to take this photo. I had to send proof to my parents that yes, I’m really here!
However, I knew there were going to be some challenges in making this trip. I knew absolutely nothing and no one when it came to both the city and the program. I had noticed the majority of people decided to come here with a friend from home, which made me feel behind on a social front. What was I to do?
After an awesome orientation showing the local area and the building where we will take classes, the CEA CAPA staff provided us with a pizza lunch. Who doesn’t love Domino's!
Luckily, I did not have to stress about this social gap for long. CEA CAPA provide all of us in the program a surplus of opportunities to meet fellow students, while engaging with Sydney. Right away we went on a tour of our neighborhood around Bondi Junction, during which I was able to start talking to fellow students in the program.
The following day, the CEA CAPA staff set up an Australian BBQ buffet in the neighborhood of Manly. This was awesome because we took a ferry from the wharf by the famous Sydney Opera House, and traveled by boat to Manly.
Before heading onto the ferry to Manly, I turned the corner and gasped. I could not believe it. The Opera House in all its glory stood massively in front of me as the Harbour Bridge neighbored it. I had to capture the moment.
We had an awesome time and afterwards I made a few friends. Some of the staff went the extra mile and treated me and my friends to Yo-Chi (frozen yogurt) as we continued exploring the area, and later went to Manly Beach. My friends and I continued on our own seeing all kinds of wildlife and views as we went on a mini hike before finally heading back.
One of the CEA CAPA staff members treated me and my friends to a treat at a frozen yogurt establishment, Yo-Chi. I may have gone slightly overboard, but man did the raspberry puree taste so good. I would rate this place a 9.5/10 (long line).
After walking around the area my friends and I took a detour through the hills and ended up on a shore looking out on the water. The weather could not have been more perfect and we had to take it all in with the waves.
The following week we had more events, like catching a show at the Opera House with performances from Disco Inferno who were absolutely fantastic!
First Sydney Opera House show! I was able to get a photo of the venue right before the performance started, and it was incredible. I didn’t realize the Opera House had all kinds of entertainment available, definitely going back!
On top of these events, CEA CAPA also provided the “Roar and Snore” event. We got to spend the night in the Taronga Zoo in a tourist campsite as we received a private tour of the zoo at night past hours. I got to meet a giraffe!
Yes. It is true. I fed a giraffe. It was so amazing as the staff directed me into a spot and handed me a big piece of lettuce as the giraffe lowered his head to me and very gently, took the leaf from my hand. Crossing that off the bucket list for sure.
With a beautiful view of the Sydney skyline, I slept soundly in my tent (except for the occasional eastern whipbird chirp).
After settling in our campsite provided by the staff of the zoo, the beautiful Sydney skyline at night illuminated the harbor. I still couldn’t believe I was here. Not a bad view to fall asleep to by a long shot.
My friend Luke and I getting settled into our tent. We were told we slept right behind the lion cage, so we knew we were at least protected by the king of the jungle. On top of that, we did encounter our first Huntsman Spider, so best believe we were on guard!
Overall, I learned to not overthink when it comes to making friends. It sounds simple enough, but must be stated. Everyone is here to explore and do something that they have never done before. I was fortunate enough to have so many fun CEA CAPA events to facilitate these experiences. I highly encourage others who are nervous about the social side of studying abroad to sign up for as many events as they can, you won’t regret it!
